Wings of an Elfin Warrior
Chapter 6
Alone in a Big World
Bruce was in a heated argument with the young warrior about his duty and his problem when Tim led Dick back into the main cavern.
"I cannot let you loose to gallivant across the city killing everyone you run into just so that you catch one man. This is my city S`lea!"
"Not to mention his world," Dick added. Everyone turned to find Dick standing cross-armed over Tim's shoulder, as everything got quiet.
"S`lea, there are rules we have to follow in this world, and the most important is to allow justice to be served by the judicial system. Not by us."
"Then they are fools' rules. You allow the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty by not seeing justice done immediately. In my world, we let the punishment befit the crime."
"This is not your world."
"He has armed himself with an army of soulless slaves," she growled back at him. "Those people are probably from your world," she announced. "They are dead, and they died a long horrible death all because of one soulless man. They relived the worst fears and moments of their lives. Their minds were tortured, the truth distorted to feed their pain until they were willing to do anything to rid themselves of the memories.
"Very few have ever survived the grip of Golnac's Noctra. I know of only two, and even now they are plagued with the night dreams, so real that they cannot control their screams at nights. One even attempted to kill himself as he could not live with the memories. He rarely sleeps for fear if he closes his eyes the dreams will return. I was in search for this monster when I was pulled into this realm. I am going to kill this bastard and free all those of my world from his grip."
"Not as long as he is in my world," Bruce growled.
"Does it not matter to you that it is his magic that has turned your people into the un-dead, that it was his magic that created the monsters that took your son's sight?"
"Back off, S`lea," Dick growled. "I am not a tool in your fight against this jerk. While you're in this world you play by our rules or you don't play at all."
"When it comes to my family, Sir, I don't play," she hissed, completely overtaken by the Dar. "I don't play." Tim stepped back into Dick when her eyes changed.
"Tim?" he whispered as he righted himself, "What's wrong?"
At first, no one answered. Tim guided his brother backwards as Bruce did the same with Alfred and Leslie. "Tim? Bruce?" he asked again trying to get around Tim's protective arm.
"S`lea? What did you do?" he growled, becoming agitated by the lack of answers. "Someone talk to me!" He nearly jumped out of his skin when Leslie came up behind him. "It's ok, son." she whispered with almost a sound of fear in her voice, "Come with me."
"No!" Dick insisted, pulling away from her gentle touch. "S`lea, what are you doing? Someone tell me what is going on!"
"Stay back, Dick! She's transforming!" Bruce yelled.
"NO! S`lea, you swore your sword to me as long as my cause was just," he yelled as he broke free of his young friend's hands and began to fumble towards the area where he had remembered hearing her. "Maybe there are flaws in our justice systems, but not in our cause. Please ..." His words were interrupted by Bruce as he tackled him, sending them both to the other side of the Cave.
The cavern began to fill with a strange but sweet odor as the transformation began. A fog completely enveloped her and began to grow as if a large curtain were being drawn upward. At first Bruce was stunned, in awe, of what he was seeing, but when he saw Dick stumble towards the gaseous wall he heart filled with anger and panic. He knew only that what was happening posed a danger to his only family and he would die before he would allow that to happen again.
"Dick! NO!" He yelled out as he threw himself forward with everything he had. Both arms wrapped tightly around the young man's waist as he twisted so as to take the impact with the ground. Quickly checking to make sure Dick was ok, Bruce looked up to see Tim wearing a gasmask and throwing 4 pellets to the ground at the base of the already gaseous cloud, then tossing 2 masks at him both. Leslie and Alfred were not to be seen. He could only hope that they retreated upstairs. He actually held off placing the mask over Dick's face, of the young man who was still struggling to get loose, until he went limp in his arms. Then he waited. When the gasses cleared, there were only two people left standing. Two other lay unconscious on the ground.
"I guess the transformation never completed," Tim whispered through the mask as Bruce quickly flicked on the recycle air vents trying to clear the gasses still in the air. "What do we do with her now?"
"Put her in the infirmary. I'll close it off with a force field," he growled.
"Will it hold her?"
"I don't know. I guess we'll find out."
"Let's get Dick upstairs, make sure I didn't hurt him," Bruce ordered, "then everyone is to stay out of the Caves until I'm sure it's safe." He looked up at Tim, "I mean everyone." Tim solemnly acknowledged him, then placed the young warrior on the med bed and stepped out of the area of the force field.
"Dick's not going to be too happy when he wakes up."
"He'll get over it," Bruce sighed, as he lifted the unconscious man. "By the way, Tim, you did the right thing, and more importantly, you acted quickly. I am proud of you."
Tim looked dumbfounded staring blankly back at his mentor.
A small half-smile crossed Bruce's face as he adjusted the weight in his arms. "I am sorry if I don't appear to recognize what you do, but I assure you, I do. Maybe if I had learned to say something earlier ... Dick ...Well...ah."
An understanding smile crossed Tim's face as he broke away from the conversation and headed up the steps.
"Thanks."
